IT Workers Join UPTE-CWA, Form Largest Tech Union in the Country

Earlier this month, 2,100 information technology (IT) professionals at the University of California (UC) voted overwhelmingly to join the University Professional and Technical Employees-CWA (UPTE-CWA Local 9119). This was the largest tech industry organizing campaign in U.S. history and brings the total number of IT workers in the bargaining unit to 8,400, making it the largest tech union in the country.

IT workers cited layoff protections, wage increases, and AI governance as key issues. Worker titles include application programmers, business systems analysts, data systems analysts, database administrators, information systems analysts, and instructional designers. These workers keep California’s public university running. They build and maintain the digital infrastructure behind patient care at UC’s medical centers, power the research systems scientists across the state rely on, and design the learning tools that serve hundreds of thousands of students.

“We know when you try to make quick, dirty decisions to cut labor through AI, you're actually creating a more vulnerable system,” said UPTE-CWA Local 9119 President Dan Russell. “On paper, AI can make us more 'productive' at our jobs, but the people making those recommendations to UC are management consultants who don't have the knowledge or expertise we have as workers. With the right to bargain over our working conditions, we can set the right tone not just for our workplace and tech organizations, but also for the millions of Californians who turn to UC every day for critical research, healthcare, and educational opportunities.”

The organizing campaign involved dozens of IT workers who reached out to their colleagues via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, e-mail, and social media, as well as physical outreach across departments and by knocking on doors.

Congratulations to the IT workers for organizing a highly effective campaign, engaging with one another, and winning a victory for workers across the public university system nationwide.

 
Tech workers at the University of California system have organized the largest tech union in the country. IT professionals took a moment to celebrate, along with UPTE-CWA Local 9119 President Dan Russell (center in blue with hat).

---

This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.